Green Parliamentary candidates in Brighton and Hove have called for the local council to take advantage of new amendments to the law which would change the way bus services are coordinated in the city.
A change to the Local Transport Act of 2008 enables local governments to create Quality Contracts Schemes. This is where the LA takes responsibility for defining the service including routes, timings and fares.
Caroline Lucas, the Green Party's first MP yesterday, 20 May, marked her formal oath to the Queen with an additional pledge to the constituents of Brighton and the UK.
MPs are required by law to swear or affirm their allegiance to the Queen, but there is no requirement to state they are beholden to anyone else. Today (Thursday) in the House of Commons Caroline stated her commitment to her constituents and the country as a whole.
The pledge will form the cornerstone of her work as a Member of Parliament.
The Green Party today becomes the only political party to back demands for a state pension of £170 per week and a better future for older people in Britain.
Caroline Lucas, Green Party leader and parliamentary candidate for Brighton Pavilion constituency, said:
"After a lifetime of hard work and contributing to society, pensioners deserve better than having to scrape by on an inadequate state pension.
Caroline Lucas, Ben Duncan and Ian Davey have pledged to support the NSPCC's ‘I Stand For Children' campaign which aims to make child protection a priority for the next Parliament.
Caroline Lucas, who is tipped by pollsters to become the UK's first Green MP in Brighton, said:
"I'm very pleased to sign up to the NSPCC's campaign, which puts forward a number of vital recommendations, such as tackling domestic violence from a child's point of view, continuing to fund helpline services and ensuring that child protection reforms take place.
Today Caroline Lucas has called upon Labour to end their hypocrisy regarding licensing regulations after a cafe on The North Laine was granted permission to extend its hours - without the knowledge of the resident living upstairs.
The café in question, was granted permission to extend its hours until 10pm under a fast track process that allows 'minor variations' to be pushed through quickly.
This gives residents just two weeks to make representations against the new license.
Brighton and Hove City Council today published the results of a survey launched in October 2011 to explore the attitudes of people in Brighton & Hove towards alcohol in the city (1).
More than half of those who took part said that alcohol was part of their social life (61%), while more than a third were worried about the effect alcohol has on people in the city.
The survey also revealed that 39.4% of local people avoid parts of Brighton & Hove because of the way drunk people behave.
Caroline has issued parliamentary contact details for Brighton Pavilion residents who need advice or assistance at MP level. Caroline will hold her first advice session for residents or 'surgery' on Friday 21 May 3.30 - 5pm at the Brighthelm Centre, North Road, central Brighton
The UK's largest on line betting site puts Caroline Lucas as favourite candidate in Brighton Pavilion at odds-on with a 51% chance of winning.
Caroline Lucas outlined Green Party policies to promote small businesses as the cornerstone of the economy, when she spoke at a candidates' hustings organised by the East Sussex Region of the Federation of Small Businesses at the Ambassador Hotel, Brighton last night.
"Greens have been championing small businesses for years and I welcome the opportunity to present our ideas in such an important forum," said Caroline.
